The present invention is directed to breathable elastomeric films and laminates thereof. Such materials have a wide variety of uses, especially in the areas of limited use and disposable items.
Films have been traditionally used to provide barrier properties in limited use or disposable items. By limited use or disposable, it is meant that the product and/or component is used only a small number of times or possibly only once before being discarded. Examples of such products include, but are not limited to, surgical and health care related products such as surgical drapes and gowns, disposable work wear such as coveralls and lab coats and personal care absorbent products such as diapers, training pants, incontinence garments, sanitary napkins, bandages, wipes and the like. In personal care absorbent products such as infant diapers and adult incontinence products, films are used as the outer covers with the purpose of preventing body wastes from contaminating the clothing, bedding and other items in the surrounding environment of use. In the area of protective apparel including hospital gowns, films are used to prevent cross exchange of microorganisms between the wearer and the patient.
While these films can be effective barriers, they are not aesthetically pleasing because their surfaces are smooth and either feel slick or tacky. They are also visually flat and "plasticy" thereby making them less desirable in apparel applications and other uses where they are in contact with human skin. It would be more preferable if these items were more cloth-like from both a tactile and visual standpoint. For example, infant diapers that have the feel and appearance of traditional cloth undergarments are perceived as premium products and may, in some cases, overcome the tendency to believe that they need to be covered by outer garments for aesthetic reasons. Garment-like adult incontinence products could improve the self-image of the incontinent individual. In addition, more garment-like isolation gowns would help the hospital environment feel less foreign and threatening to the patient and increase the comfort of the wearer. It is also preferable to have films that can make an outercover material with more elastic give and recovery to provide better fit and comfort.
Lamination of films have been used to create materials which are both impervious and somewhat cloth-like in appearance and texture. The outer covers on disposable diapers are but one example. In this regard, reference may be had to coassigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,818,600 dated Apr. 4, 1989 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,473 dated Feb. 16, 1988. Surgical gowns and drapes are other examples. See, in this regard, coassigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,102 dated Apr. 5, 1983.
A primary purpose of the film in such laminations is to provide barrier properties. There is also a need for such laminates to be breathable so that they have the ability to transmit moisture vapor. Apparel made from laminations of these breathable or microporous films are more comfortable to wear by reducing the moisture vapor concentration and the consequent skin hydration underneath the apparel item.
There is therefore a need for an elastic breathable film and process that provides a film with both the cloth-like aesthetics and the fit and comfort that are desired.